


When music is magic

by ArwenHermione



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:55:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29362125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArwenHermione/pseuds/ArwenHermione
Summary: What if some of your favourite HP characters went to Muggle university instead? What if, while there, they were subjected to typical turn-of-the-century boyband music?
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2
Collections: Silly Love Songs





	When music is magic

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [Silly_Love_Songs](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Silly_Love_Songs) collection. 



> Prompt was "(God must've spent) a little more time on you" by NSYNC.
> 
> Thanks go to CarrieMaxwell for giggle snorting at my attempted jokes, and to ireallyenjoyforgetting for the awesome proof-read!

"Oh. My. God! You *have* to listen to this new band I discovered!" 

Viola breezed into their shared dormitory at uni, looking around to see who else was there. "Come on, Hel. Where's your CD player? I know you have one, because I've heard you listen to that awful violin screeching when you think no one is here!"

Heloise - Hel to her friends - looked up from her schedule-making with a frown on her face. "Another band, Vi? How are they different from the last one? What were they called again? Take or boy something or another. You spent weeks moaning over them!"

"That… is just mean, Heloise. Did you have to bring up Take That? And Boyzone is nothing like these guys!" Viola sneered "Seriously though, you have to listen to them! I have their debut album, and their songs are just… I don't know. Catchy, maybe? Plus, they're pretty!"

"Who's pretty?" asked Penelope as she tried to get into the room past Viola. "Hiya, Hel. How was your half term?"

Viola shoved her CD under Penelope's nose. "This new band I discovered over the break! They're from America, and they're called *NSYNC!"

"In sync? What kind of name is that!" Penelope gave Viola a confused look. 

"No! Not 'in sync'. NSYNC. And it's their names! See?" Viola points at each face in turn. "There's Lansten, Chris, Joey, Justin, and JC. I've been trying to get Heloise to let me play it on her CD player. It's just so much better than that noise she listens to!"

"HEY!" exclaimed Heloise.

Penelope shrugged and shot Heloise an apologetic look. "Sorry, Helly, but Vi's right. You do listen to horrible noise sometimes!" She snatched the CD out of Viola's hands and walked towards where she knew Heloise hid her CD player. "OK, so let's see what this is..."

At this, Heloise finally got up to take a look at the CD. "Good lord, what is THAT on his head! A bowl of noodles?" She pointed at one of the band members, causing Viola to gasp in shock. "Did you really just call Justin's hair a 'bowl of noodles', Heloise?"

Heloise just smirked and shrugged. "You called my music 'violin screeching'. Turn-about's fair play!"

"Hellooooooo all you lovelies! You can stop moping now, I'm here!" Olly waltzed into the room, his grin stretching from ear to ear. "Did you miss me? Is that what all this bickering is about?"

"Olly, you tosspot. Not everything is about you, you know!" came the voice of Caspian, who was shoved into the room by Kalia. 

"Shows you what you know, Cas. Everything, in fact, IS about me. You're just refusing to accept that, because you still think you're better than I am." Olly turned around and stuck out his tongue at his friend. 

"Go ahead and keep doing that, Olly," Kamala pointed out, "And people are sure to draw an unwanted conclusion sooner or later!" She turned towards Viola and Penelope who appeared to be arguing over the CD player, while Heloise wistfully remembered the wonderful silence of half term. "So what's this about a new band, Vi?"

"Apparently they're called *NSYNC, which stands for their names. And Viola's trying to convince me to put this song on first." Penelope looked a bit confused before continuing. "Evidently, this is the best song on the whole album, though with a title like that, I can't imagine what that means."

"Well, go on then. Put it on, let's hear what it's all about," added Kalia, before crossing her arms, just as Penelope hit the play button. Soon, the room filled with a soothing melody and several harmonizing voices.

 _Can this be true? Tell me, can this be real? How can I put into words what I feel?_

It was clear that Viola had heard this song plenty of times before, because she immediately began to sing along with the lyrics. 

_I never thought that love could feel like this and you've changed my world with just one kiss._

"OK, Vi. I've changed my mind. Noodle-head can sing. And the song isn't half bad," said Heloise when the track had finished playing. 

"Oh, come on, Hel! The song is better than 'not half bad', and you know it! It won't kill you to admit that modern music can be good, or at the very least entertaining," Cas said. "Even I can admit that, and you know how I feel about most Top 40 music!" He turned back towards Viola. "Go ahead, play it again, and I'll show you what I mean!" As soon as the music started playing again, he reached for Heloise and spun her around the room as if they were ballroom dancing. "See," he whispered in her ear so others couldn't hear it, "modern music can be very moving, Hel. Not everything has to withstand serious scrutiny." Heloise squeezed his hand in response and briefly put her head on his shoulder.

Many years later, Cas would point to this moment as the one where he first realized how he really felt about Hel.

**Author's Note:**

> All HP characters have been given different-but-similar names in this AU. For reference, they are:  
> Hermione = Heloise/Hel (because the snooty name needed to stay)  
> Draco = Caspian/Cas  
> Theo = Oliver/Olly  
> Lavender = Viola/Vi  
> Daphne = Penelope/Pen  
> Padma = Kalia  
> Parvati = Kamala


End file.
